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Part of the responsibility of carrying a firearm is the maturity to de-escalate confrontations when they're unavoidable. Sometimes, you just run into someone who's just plain nuts, and there's little you can do to avoid them.

I had one of those today, but thankfully he decided discretion was the better part of being a loudmouth jerk, and he left so quickly I never even had the chance to use my people skills.

I turned off the highway into the Wal Mart driveway. Nice broad driveway, could be three lanes wide, but is only two. I was close to the center line, but I was completely within my lane. I was just putting along, since I was about to make another right turn towards the gas station.

That second turn, the one towards the gas station, is only about 100 yards from the highway. I was about halfway there, when an oncoming car screeched to a halt, and I see the guy's head bobbing out the window, and his hand waving like he's motioning me up. Since he was standing still about 30 yards away, I pull up slowly and start to roll down my window.

I barely got the window cracked when he yelled, "What the hell is wrong with you?!" Then he floored it and took off.



So I scratch my head and continue on my way. A cart wrangler was standing there staring, so I asked him, "Yeah, what the hell's wrong with me, driving on my side of the road?" He just shook his head and said, "I don't know, sir!"

So, anyone else have any good crazy people encounters? I know our LEOs do!

Kevin

Dangit! Now you are going to have to spend a ton of money at a head shrinker to figure out what is wrong with you. Some people can be so inconsiderate!

KB,
You must give us special people the benefit of the doubt.....He might have had an altered perception of the line and thought it was moving. I wonder if he did any of that yelling while taking his driving test.

...move along...

Ya I had an event happen today at the garden place. We were leaving the parking lot and some fat woman and her associated fat other were waddling like ducks (not walking) along in the parking lot. I was going out the drive. She stopped and said EXCUSE ME! like you almost ran over me and I kept driving. Her other said something and I just kept going. Should there have a collision at 2 miles an hour between my truck and her my truck would have suffered the most damage. Skinny or fat it don't matter if you step out in front of a 2000 or 3000 pound vehicle the pedestrian is gonna lose. Fortunately this was a slow motion event for both sides. Hope she don't decide to run across the freeway some day.

Several years ago while driving into Houston on I-59 from Humble, I had a really strange encounter with another driver.

Traffic was heavy but moving fast. I was trying to change lanes and focusing on the vehicles in front and to my left when my daughter said "dad...this man is scaring me". I looked to my right and saw a face about 6 inches from the passenger window. The guy looked like somebody you would meet under a bridge asking for change. He was inches from my right side and had his upper body out of the driver's window leaning toward my passenger window.

I tapped my brakes and moved left quickly to separate our vehicles. He accelerated and blended into traffic. It happened so fast that I couldn't get a plate number or even a good description of his vehicle.

Several years ago while driving into Houston on I-59 from Humble, I had a really strange encounter with another driver.

Traffic was heavy but moving fast. I was trying to change lanes and focusing on the vehicles in front and to my left when my daughter said "dad...this man is scaring me". I looked to my right and saw a face about 6 inches from the passenger window. The guy looked like somebody you would meet under a bridge asking for change. He was inches from my right side and had his upper body out of the driver's window leaning toward my passenger window.

I tapped my brakes and moved left quickly to separate our vehicles. He accelerated and blended into traffic. It happened so fast that I couldn't get a plate number or even a good description of his vehicle.

Can't help but wonder if it was her...

Woman killed after running into South Loop traffic


Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

A woman was killed early today after being struck by a passing car in southwest Houston, police said.

The woman ran into oncoming traffic in the 2600 block of the westbound South Loop about 3:15 a.m. and was struck by a motorist, Houston police said.

The woman was intoxicated and died at the scene, HPD officers said. Her identity has not been released. The accident remains under investigation.

KBCraig wrote: So I scratch my head and continue on my way. A cart wrangler was standing there staring, so I asked him, "Yeah, what the hell's wrong with me, driving on my side of the road?" He just shook his head and said, "I don't know, sir!"

So, anyone else have any good crazy people encounters? I know our LEOs do!

Kevin

I don't know if he's crazy, but the cart wrangler is certainly unusual in this day and age by calling you, "Sir." I pray that my son will be as unusual when he's older (5 now).

Obnoxious drivers abound today. Traffic tieups and long commutes combined with the coarsening of our society have made driving anywhere an adventure. Common courtesy is uncommon in today's society. The anonymity of being surrounded by the frame work of a automobile seems to bring out the worst in many people. They will say and do things they would never say or do to your face. A drive to the grocery store can easily become an event. That's when CHL holders must keep their cool. Not easy though, I know.

Lots of aggresive young guys weaving in and out of traffic playing race car driver. But the worst offenders are the women driving a huge Suburban or Expedition riding your bumper with a cell phone stuck to their ear yacking it up and totally unaware of anything going on around them. They think nothing of giving you the finger if you hold them up by driving just five or ten miles over the speed limit. Very classy, these fine young ladies! I their your parents would be proud.

A question for you policemen, do you ever write tickets for tailgaiting anymore or is it just too common? I,m not being critical of police. I really respect you guys. Just wondering and would really like your take on it.

They aren't tailgating. They're drafting.



Anygun

About a month ago my wife and I were in the drive through at McDonalds. My wife is driving. She is giving our order to the speaker (no person except to snatch the money). A man pulled up behind us and started honking his horn and cursing. My wife finished ordering we pulled up to the first window. The man pulled up some more throwed trash in the trash can, never ordered, then pulled up beside our car. I never rolled my window down just unholstered my .45 and kept it in my lap. He cursed and cursed we drove up and he drove off. There are some out there that are not of this planet.

anygunanywhere wrote:They aren't tailgating. They're drafting.



Anygun

Sometimes its really not a good idea to tailgate me...

I might end up rolling down the windows or something...

That could be bad...

KBCraig wrote:I turned off the highway into the Wal Mart driveway.

This part was a pretty good lead in to the rest... seems like something crazy is always going down in the Wal Mart parking lot!

I remember one night at the Wal Mart parking lot... seeing this really big body-builder guy and his girlfriend. They had the smallest hatchback car you've ever seen, and they bought a huge amount of stuff. They fit their stuff into every nook and cranny of the car, but still had a box the size of a washing machine left over! The guy starts yelling and screaming at his GF, he goes into a mild frenzy, then decides to rip the box apart with his bare hands. Foam and cardboard go everywhere... GF is so embarrased she sits in the drivers seat and lowers her head.... half in embarrasment, half crying. Body builder guy gets his stuff out of the packaging, smashes it into the rear of the car, slams the hatch repeatedly to get the thing closed... and eventually suceeds.

The pair drove off, leaving their debris all over the parking lot.

I just stood there and watched in amazement.

It's amazing the effect steroids, er...um...I mean body building has on some people.